The person behind the scenes
The supply wagon drove along the dirt road in the suburbs. Jiang Jin sat inside, looking at the sky outside.
"Madam, be careful not to catch a cold." A pigeon landed in Jiang Jin's palm as Ah Bei was brewing tea.
"Shh!" Jiang Jin untied the note binding the pigeon, released it, glanced at it, and then threw it into the fire.
Just as the three returned to Weishu at noon, Jiang Jin changed into coarse cloth clothes and went alone to a house in Guiningfang. A woman was washing clothes, and standing next to her was a girl of about ten years old.
"Here?" Zhai Wan, leaning against the doorframe, looked at Jiang Jin and gestured for her to be quiet. She then pulled Jiang Jin into the courtyard, carefully closed the door, and locked the chains.
"You trespassed on private property?" Jiang Jin whispered in Zhai Wan's ear, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Do you know who lives next door?" Jiang Jin shook her head, recalling the laundry woman she had just seen.
"Aunt Song Zhimin and her daughter." Jiang Jin's eyes widened in surprise, she covered her mouth, and pointed to the courtyard behind her with a trembling voice.
"Back then, the Song family couldn't save her, but the Song family's misfortune didn't affect their married daughters. That Lady Song was pregnant, and her husband's family wasn't so heartless as to throw her out. It's just that after she gave birth to a child, she was divorced with a letter of divorce. His Highness was afraid of being targeted by the Dou family, so he arranged for them to live in this house." Zhai Wan felt too tired to stand, so she simply sat down on the stone bricks.
"Song Zhimin doesn't know?" Jiang Jin had never seen Song Zhimin send anything to the capital, so she probably didn't know about the two of them.
"I don't know. It's less about protecting her and more about exploiting one of Song Zhimin's few weaknesses," Zhai Wan said calmly and coldly.
"Then why did you suddenly call me here today?" Jiang Jin had a feeling there was more to it than met the eye, but since Zhai Wan didn't say anything, she wouldn't ask further.
"His Highness returned to the capital faster than you. He was invited away by Eunuch Lin as soon as he entered the palace gates. His Majesty has already found out the identity of the person behind it all." Jiang Jin's hands trembled slightly as she recalled what had just been said.
"Is it Song Zhimin?" Jiang Jin shook his head in disbelief. "Even with His Highness's help, it's impossible to do something like this. Besides, how could he have developed so rapidly and have such ambitions in just a few years?"
"There might be others, but Song Zhimin's identity is indeed extraordinary. His Majesty spent considerable effort with his secret guards to uncover this." Zhai Wan happened to be in the palace yesterday, which is why she learned the news so quickly.
"So you're trying to lure the snake out of its hole?" Jiang Jin's gaze fell on the wall separating the two courtyards.
“Song Zhimin is unaware of these two’s existence and that he has already been exposed, so this is our opportunity.” Zhai Wan smiled as she looked at the reluctance in Jiang Jin’s eyes, “Why don’t you think about those innocent people trapped in the pit?”
"I was just a little shocked. I had a tiger hiding by my side and I didn't even know I was letting Ziyuan spend every night with him." Jiang Jin wanted to shake her past self awake whenever she thought about what she had done in Beizhou.
"I think he genuinely wanted to save Ziyuan back then. After all, we've known each other for a while and Ziyuan didn't see anything secret. It's just that he kidnapped Ziyuan because you later infiltrated Nanyi and he lost one of his trump cards, or he wanted to teach you a lesson."
Zhai Wan didn't show it on her face, but Jiang Jin didn't miss the fleeting murderous intent in her eyes.
"What do you need me to do?" Jiang Jin believed Zhai Wan's words unconditionally.
"Your Highness knows that Song Zhimin admires you, but she doesn't want to use you as a pawn. Besides, what's the point of childhood feelings that have changed compared to a lost and found family member?" Zhai Wan placed a bow and arrow on the table.
"This is what the Dou family's assassins use. Once night falls, the mother and child will be assassinated. The news will reach Song Zhimin's ears quickly. He's currently overwhelmed and doesn't dare leave rashly; he might ask you for help." Zhai Wan's words were devoid of emotion, as if she were stating a trivial matter.
“You’re not familiar with him, and you understand that His Highness doesn’t trust him, so he can only seek my help or send someone to the capital to investigate.” Years of tacit understanding allowed Jiang Jin to grasp the meaning behind Zhai Wan’s words.
"Don't worry, I know what to do." Jiang Jin nodded, but her expression was somewhat forlorn.
"I know you're upset. Nobody expected Song Zhimin to be the mastermind, but things are unpredictable, Ah Jin." Zhai Wan knew that Jiang Jin, though seemingly hard-hearted, still had a soft side.
"This matter needs to be handled properly, otherwise it will have a significant impact on His Highness." Jiang Jin tiptoed to the door. "Are you on leave today?"
"Yes, Ah Jin, you need to be careful. Besides revenge, the person Song Zhimin can't let go of is you. We can't control a madman's actions." Zhai Wan was worried that Song Zhimin might resort to desperate measures and kidnap Jiang Jin.
"Don't worry, I'll carry extra things with me. Is everything alright in the palace?" Jiang Jin rarely cared about the palace intrigues; since it wouldn't harm Lou Xuan, she let them be.
"It's just ordinary competition for favor, nothing to worry about." Zhai Wan got up and quietly opened the door.
"Let's go." As the chains were locked again, Zhai Wan casually grabbed a handful of soil and threw it on the door. In an instant, the courtyard returned to its state, as if no one had entered or left for a long time.
"Gui Ning Fang is mostly inhabited by commoners, so there's generally no one to monitor it." The two people, wearing veils, walked along the muddy road.
"I buried Sanfeng in Bianzhou. You can go visit her when you have time," Jiang Jin said softly. Although Zhai Wan couldn't see her expression, she could sense her sorrow.
"I will. Who knows, maybe when Sanfeng is reincarnated, it will be a different Great Yan. At that time, women can go to school, become officials, and have freedom." Zhai Wan sighed, looking at the women around her who were confined to the courtyard and could only do laundry and sweeping.
“If His Highness and I fail, you should escape back. They have no evidence against you, and your master probably won’t kill you.” Jiang Jin reached out and took Zhai Wan’s hand. “You must live well.”
“His Highness will protect you.” Zhai Wan shook her head and looked at Jiang Jin. “We can go together and open a private school to raise orphans. That way, we can subtly influence the Great Yan.”
“I can’t leave now. From the moment I chose to enter the court, there was no turning back. Now Your Highness and Wei Shu can protect me. If Your Highness loses, it will prove that everything is settled and Wei Shu’s role is over. I can’t leave them alone in the capital.”
Zhai Wan wasn't stupid; she immediately understood Jiang Jin's plan. "Does Your Highness know?"
“I didn’t say anything. It’s normal for people to have their own little thoughts.” Jiang Jin put away her worried tone. “Come on, I’ll treat you to a nice meal at Yangchun Restaurant today.”
"Then I shall respectfully accept your offer." Zhai Wan didn't dwell on the future; who knows what the future holds, so why worry unnecessarily?
The two arrived at Yangchun Tower. Jiang Jin intended to sit in the main hall but then noticed a familiar-looking guard on the second floor.
"Let's go to the private room." Before Zhai Wan could recover from her daze, Jiang Jin dragged her upstairs.
"You really have money to burn, why don't you give me some? I don't mind having too much." Zhai Wan was pushed inside by Jiang Jin, and then she saw that Jiang Jin hadn't closed the door properly, and her eyes were peeking out, staring intently at the guard standing next to her.
"Tsk, you're not thinking of keeping a male concubine, are you? This one isn't even as good-looking as Wei Shu. Why don't we go to Pingkang Lane instead..." Jiang Jin covered Zhai Wan's mouth accurately without turning around.
"If I remember correctly, those two should be the Second Prince's guards." Hearing this, Zhai Wan also stopped her playful demeanor and squatted down behind Jiang Jin to look outside.
"Are you sure?" Zhai Wan remarked on their luck; they even ran into the Second Prince while just having a nice meal.
"Of course!" Jiang Jin's legs were getting a little numb from squatting, so she simply sat cross-legged on the ground.
"Do you think it's high-ranking officials or noble families inside?" Zhai Wan asked, nudging Jiang Jin's shoulder.
"I don't know, just be careful." Jiang Jin quickly got up and sat down on the stool as the waiter came up, putting on a serious expression.
"What would you two ladies like to eat?" The waiter glanced at their clothes and recommended a few home-style dishes.
"Bring up some signboard items," Jiang Jin said, placing a string of copper coins on the table. "No fish, the rest is up to you." The waiter said he had thoughtfully closed the door to the private room before leaving.
"Your fourth aunt is quite ambitious; she went to the temple right away. She said it was to pray for blessings, but everyone knows it's because of the rumors. I thought she'd make a scene and insist on marrying the second prince." Zhai Wan poured herself a cup of tea.
“Father originally wanted to send Fourth Sister back to her hometown, but he softened and sent her to a temple outside the city. She met with the Second Prince before she left, but perhaps she didn’t get the answer she wanted.” Jiang Jin sighed. “Fourth Sister didn’t have bad intentions. These rumors were directed at the Jiang family. Fourth Sister was just implicated.”
"Your father is just too cautious. The Second Prince has never participated in factional struggles, so even if we marry our daughter to him, there won't be any problems." Zhai Wan really couldn't understand what could be more important than her children's happiness.
"My father's position in the court rests on His Majesty's trust, so nothing can compare to that," Jiang Jin smiled.
"Fourth Sister isn't stupid. If she insists on marrying into the family now, she might not get anything good from either side. It's better to wait and see. If we're lucky, we might get results soon." Jiang Jin refilled Zhai Wan's tea. "Everyone in our family is shrewd. I guess this is what they mean by 'like father, like daughter.'"
“Imperial Censor Jiang is favored by the Emperor. Although there’s not much to gain from him, his position by the Emperor’s side is advantageous. I suspect His Majesty’s decision to appoint someone from a respectable family to oversee the private school is perhaps due to your and Imperial Censor Jiang’s influence.” Zhai Wan never believed that Emperor Wende was a man of unfounded accusations.
“It’s a pity I have to be on duty, otherwise I could go to Bianzhou to oversee the private school. No respectable family can do it as well as we can manage it ourselves.” Jiang Jin’s eyes shifted to Zhai Wan. “Can you ask for leave?”
"Didn't you ask a pointless question?" Zhai Wan rolled her eyes at Jiang Jin. "His Highness plans to send Chang Yi. If the private school is successfully completed, he can return to get married." Jiang Jin swallowed the tea in her mouth upon hearing this.
"Then let me ask you quietly, if things don't go smoothly, does that mean we won't get married?" Zhai Wan covered Jiang Jin's mouth.
"Don't say such unlucky things. There's no room for refusing a marriage bestowed by the Emperor. However, if it can't be completed smoothly, His Highness must have other plans." The two exchanged a glance and silently lit a candle for Chang Yi in their hearts.
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